Refeigeratina machine



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F. -B. HILL. 'R-EPRIGERATING MACHINE.

No. 524,249. Patented Aug. 7., 1894.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 2. F. B. HILL. RBPRIGBRATING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

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RBFRIGERATING MAUHINE. v No. 524,249. PatentedAug. '7, 1894.

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F. B. HILL. RBPRIGERATING MACHINE..

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F. B. HILL. REFRIGERATING MACHINE.

UNIT-nn STATES FREDERICK BARKER HILL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND PATENT OFFICE.

COLD STORAGE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,249, dated August 7,1894. Application filed June 9, 1892. Serial No. 436.162. (No model.) Patented in England October 15l 1889, No. 16.253.

To all whom ima/y concern: y

Be it known that I, FREDERICK BARKER HILL, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, anda resident of London, England, haveinvented newand useful Improvements in Refrigerating and Ice-Making Machines, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 16,253, bearing date October 15, 1889,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to refrigerating and ice-making machines and comprises various improvements hereinafter described.

My said invention is chiefiy designed to improve the construction of apparatus yfor refrigeration or for the production of iceby the `intermittent. ammonia absorption process.

My improvements are, however, partly applicable to apparatus for the production of cold by other processes.

One important feature of my said invention.

is the provision of suitable means whereby I am enabledto rapidly reduce the pressure in the ammonia-boiler after the liquid ammonia has been distilled andcollected in the refrigcrater, and to effect the absorption of the ammoniaeal gas from the refrigerator much earlier after the distillation than has heretofore been practicable.

In the use of intermittent ammoniaabsorption refrigerating and ice-making machines as heretofore constructed, it is necessary, after the distillation of the ammonia, to reduce the temperature of the liquid in the boiler until the pressure is sufliciently diminished to permit the vaporization of the liquid amv moniain the refrigerator, and until the liquid in the boiler is sufficiently cool to permit the absorption of the ammoniacal gas thereby.

over, in many of the refrigerating and icemaking machines heretofore used, the absorption of the 'ammoniacal gas takes place only Aat the surface of the liquid in the boiler, and

apparatus.

absorbers.

by employinguonc or more separate or auxiliary absorbers which can be put in communication with the boiler, the. cooler. orfcondenser and the refrigerator as required, and 55 in which the ammoniacal gas can .ascend through a body of liquid, I can very rapidly diminish the pressure in the ammonia boiler by absorbing the gas from the boiler, the rectifier and the condenser in the said absorber 6c or absorbers; moveover I am enabled to et'- fect the absorption of the ammoniac'al gas from the refrigerator either in the supplementary or auxiliary absorber or absorbers,

or in the boiler, immediately or very soon at'-` 65 ter the distillation, thusv greatly expediting the production of cold by the` machine. I

find it advantageous, for this purpose, to comp bine, with the ammonia boiler, two separate absorbers so arranged that they can be used 7o alternately, that is to say, after the distilla-A tion of the ammonia and its collection in the refrigerating tubes or chambers, the ammoniacal gas from the refrigerating tubes or chambers is absorbed in the liquid contained 75 in one of the said absorbers; the impoverished solution from the boiler is then forced by the pressure therein into the other absorber, which is then used for absorbing fur- 4theiquantities of the gas, While the ammonia 8o shown how my said invention may be conl,

veniently and advantageously carried into 9o j practice. This cooling of the said liquid necessarily ocf cupies aconsiderable space of time. More- Figure l is a front elevatiompartly in verftical section; Fig.,2 a rear elevation,and Fig.` "3 a side elevation of one form of my improvedl Fig. 4 is a, plan or top View of a 95 'portion of the absorbers, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same portion of the said Fig. 6 is a front elevatiompartlyin vertical section, and Fig. l7 an end eleva-1` tion, illustrating a refrigerating apparatusy provided with a single supplementaryor aux-i -v iliary absorber according to my said inven.

, AssIeNon To THE IIILLs IOO in vertical section, showing a tank for containing brine or other non-congealable liquid in which the refrigerator tubes are immersed, and a cooling tank so combined therewith that a circulation of the non-congealable liquid will be maintained by gravity, and the`- refrigerating apparatus can be placed on a fioor above the said cooling tank; and Fig. 1l is a front elevation, partlyin vertical section, showing a complete cold storageapparatus constructed according to my present improvements. Y q

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

A is the ammonia-boiler.

B is the separator or rectifier.

C is the cooler or condenser.

D is the refrigerator.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, E, E are two absorbers.y These absorbers together with the separator orrectiier B and the three conor rectifier B. The water from this separatorv returns to they boiler by gravity through a pipe B2 provided with a trap B2. vThe ammoniacal gas from the separator or rectifier B is conducted through apipe C and branchpipes C2, C2 to the two uppermost condensers C, which are connected with the lower condenser `C by pipes C4. The anhydrous liquid ammonia is forced from the lower condenser C into the refrigerating tubes or chambers D through a pipe F2 provided with a cock G2.

The tubes or chambers D are preferably inclosed in a'cold-storage tank l-l the bottom of which forms the ceiling of a room lor chamber to be cooled. l

The pipe F2 is connected with the absorbers E E by a pipe E2 and branch-pipes E3, E4, the latter being provided with cocks E5, E6 respectively, so that, by closing the cock G2 and opening the cock E5 orvE, the ammoniacal gas may be' allowed to pass from the refrigerating tubes or chambers D into the absorber E or E as may be desired.

The absorbers-E, E are provided with gageglasses g, g respectively, so that lthe level of the liquid therein may be ascertained at any time. i spectively with the boiler A by means of pipes E7., E2, provided .with cocks E, E10, and connected with a pipe A communicatlng with the said boiler, so that the strong am'- moniacal solution from either of the absorbers may be allowed to flow by gravity into the boilerwhen necessary. To'provide for equalizing the pressure in the boiler and absorber` The' said absorbers are connected re-V for this purpose, the absorbers are Aalso connected with the upper part of the boiler A by means of a pipe A2 and branch-pipes A2, A4, the pipe A2 being provided with a cock A5, and the pipes A2, Atwith cocks A, A7.

To provide for the return by gravity to one or other of the absorbers, of any impoverished .solution that may accumulate in thel refrigerating-tubes or chambers D, these tubes or chambers are connected with the pipe A2 by means ota pipe D2 provided with a cock D2.

The lower part of the boiler A is connected by a pipe As with a cooling coil Q arranged within the tankl P. This coil is connected with the pipe A2 by means of a pipe Q provided with a cock Q2. Y

The operation of this apparatus is as follows, vizz-The boiler A and the absorber E being properly charged with ammoniacal liquor, the said boiler is heated by means of steam or in any other convenient manner. The ammoniacal gas rises through the pipe B to the separatoror rectifier B in which any steam that may be carried up with the gas is condensed and separated from the gas, the

` water of condensation returning to the boiler through the pipe B2 and Siphon B2. The gas flows from the separator B through the pipes C', C2, C2, C4, into the condensers orliqueers C. The cock G2 being opened, the liquefied ammonia from the `lowermost condenser C is forced up through the pipe F2 into the tubes or chambers D. The cocks Q2, A6, are then opened to allow some of the impoverished solution from the boiler A to fiow into the absorber E, this liquid being cooled in its passage through the coil Q. When the temperature of the tubes or chambers D is to be reduced, the cock G2 is closed and the cock E5 is opened so that the ammoniacal gas from the tubes or chambers D may enter the absorber E and be absorbed by the weak solution therein. When the liquid in this absorber is saturated and can absorb no more gas, the cock E5 is closed and the cock Ev opened. While the gas is being absorbed in the absorber E', the ammonia solution from the absorber E is allowed to return to the boiler A, the cocks A5, A6, and E9 being opened for this purpose, the cock Q2 being previously closed. The distillation of the arnmonia lcan then be continued, the operations above described being carried on alternately with the absorbers E E. It is evident that, with this arrangement, a large quantity of liquid ammonia can be collected in the tubes or chambers D and vaporized from` time to time as required, without the necessity for cool- `ing the boiler A to permit its use as an absorber, and the process is rendered continuous. Moreover, the action of ther apparatus ycan be very easily and effectively regu-lated :or controlled.

ished solution in passing from the boiler A to IOO ..40 l be desired, of any impoverished solution that one of the absorbers, may impart some lof its heat to; the ammonia solution as it Hows from the other absorber to the boiler. w

lbe introduced into the absorber E after the distillation of the ammonia, and the liquid charged with the gas by absorption as hereinafter specified may be caused to return from the said absorber to the 7boiler by gravity.

` For examplegvhen the liquid anhydrous amzo moniahas been collected in the refrigerator D, the cocks G2, G3 are closed and the cocks G,

G' are partly opened, thus allowing aportion Vof theweak or impoverished solution fromthe boiler A, to be forced into the absorber E; thecock G is then closed, and the cock G2 is opened to rapidly relieve the pressure in the condenser, rectitierand boiler by allowing `any -gas that may remain in the condenser, rectifier and boiler to be absorbed by the ,Weak solution in the absorber E.

. When the solution inthe boiler is cooled sufficiently to permitpre-absorption of the gas thereby, thefboiler is put in communication 'I with therefrgerator byopening the cocksG, `1 .35

G3. The ammonia solution from the Vabsorber -E wll,be returned by gravity or otherwise 1 into theammonia boiler Athrough the cocks G, G' when required. v

The pipe D12-permits the return by gravity, either to the boiler orto the absorber, as may l. may accumulate in the refrigerating tubes or chambers D.

p If desired, I can put-the refrigerator D Vin 45 communication With the supplementary or auxiliary absorberE instead of with the boiler .A, and thus permit the vapor-ization of liquid ammonia in the refrigerator andthe absorption of the ammoniacal gas by the impoverished ammoniacal liquor previously introduced into the said absorber E from the ammonia boiler. While the vaporization of the `ammonia in the refrigerator isthusproceeding, the Weak solution'in the ammonia-boiler may be cooled, after which the refrigerator may be put in commnnication with the said boiler.

I sometimes combine one or more supple mentary or auxiliary absorbers with two or 6o more sets ofapparatus for the production of cold, that is to say, with two or more sets of f refrigerating apparatus or of ice-making ap-V paratus, or with both refrigerating and icemaking apparatus.

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated the combination as above mentioned for cooling a room or chamber, and with one or more supplementary or auxiliary absorbers E, E. The refrigerat. ing chamber D' is arranged/in a brine-tank D6 from which the brine is'circulated around the boxes or receptacles in which the ice is to be produced. The auxiliary absorber E' is connected with the refrigerator D and with` the cooling apparatus by pipes F4, Fprovided with stop cocks or valves G4, G5, so that the absorbers E, E' can be used either with the cooling apparatus or with the ice-making apparatus. For instance both absorbers E E can be .charged with impoverished liquor from the boiler A, and then some of the gas from the refrigerators D or from the refrigerator VD' can be absorbed in the liquor contained in one of the absorbers and the remainder inV the liquor contained in the other absorber.

Fig. 9 illustrates another modification of my invention wherein a single auxiliary absorberE is used in combination with a cooling apparatus and an ice-making apparatus.

In this arrangement D, D are .refrigerators for cooling a room orchamber; Dqis a refrigerator arranged in a brine tank D, from which the brine is `circulated around suitable ice boxes or pans. The absorber E can'be used as abovedescribed for absorbing gas either from the refrigerators D, D, or from the refrigerator D'. I can thuslprovide apparatuswhereby the cooling of rooms or chambers and the makingof icejcan be very effectually performed either separately or simultaneously. I can, ifA desired, make suitable provision foreecting the return of the liquor from the absorber or absorbersto the` boiler by the pressure from the refrigerator V or in any other convenient manner.

In Fig. 1,0, I have shown an arrangement which I prefer to employ When it is desired to arrange the refrigerating apparatus ona floor above the cooling chamber. This arrangement, moreover, permits the circulation of the cooling medium by gravity, so that I can dispense with-pumpsprot-her machinery for effecting such circulation. His the re-v fr igerator-tank; H is anothentank or vessel loo IIO

which isV preferably arranged at a lower level therewith by means of pipesJ in such a manner that aconstant circulation of the brine or other-non-congealable liquid from one tankfrzo to the other will be `maintained by gravityy during the refrigeration of the liquid. It will be seen that, by the use of tanks ,connected in this manner, I can greatly enlarge the reservoir or store of cold. The bottom of the cooling tank H' may if,desired serve as the top of! the chamber to be cooled. i

I prefer to make the bottom of the tank H ywith a seriesof V-shaped portions or corru gations H2 and to arrange suitable gutters or4 channels K beneath the said tank, sov that any moisture collecting on the under side of than the refrigerator-tank, and isconnected the said tank will flowl to the lower edges of -r the corrugations. or V-shaped portions andwill fall, into the said gutters or channels, whereby it will be conducted away to any convenient place. I thus provide for preventing the dripping of moisture from the under surface of the tank into the room or chamber to be cooled. This arrangement also increases the area of cooling surface and the strength of the bottom of the tank.

In Fig. 11 I have shown an entire cold storage apparatus having my present improvements applied thereto. AL is a coil-boiler forvgenerating steam to heat the solution in the ammonia boiler A, with which the said coil-boiler is connected through the medium of a separator M, substantially as described in the said former speciication. N is the room or chamber to be cooled. In the upper part of this chamber is arranged the tank H containing the non-congealable liquid in which the refrigerator tubes D are immersed. The bottom of this tank is made with corrugations or V-shaped portions H2, and gutters or channels K are arranged beneath the said V-shaped portions for the purpose above described with reference to the tank H shown in Fig. 10. By means of the aforesaid cocks or valves, the apparatus can be so adjusted as to very eectually control the temperature of the room or chamber to be cooled.

this application for Letters Patent the wellknown process of producing cold, in which the absorption of the gas from the ,refrigerating chambers is carried on simultaneously with the supply of lanhydrous liquid ammonia to the said chambers, the impoverished solution from the boiler being fed into the aborber and .the strong ammoniacal liquor overowing from the absorber to the boiler.

My process differs from this well-known pro for the distillation of further quantities of ammonia.

I ain aware, moreover, that an arrangement has been devised in which an auxiliary cooler is connected with the ammonia boiler or still for the purpose of receiving some of the liquor from the boiler, cooling such liquor while the boiler is being cooled and then returning the cooled liquor to the boiler, and the said cooler is not intended to be used as an -absorber; I therefore make no claim to such an auxiliary cooler when not used as an absorber.

1. In an apparatus for the production of cold by the intermittent ammonia absorption process, the combination with a boiler or still,

a condenser or liqueier connected therewith, and refrigerating tubes or chambers con nected With such condenser or liquefer and adapted to contain andy store the liquid anhydrous ammonia, of an intermittently operating absorber and connectingpipes provided with eontrolling'valves or cocks, substantially as described, whereby first the still is put in communication with the absorber to charge the same with weak liq-uor, then communica tion between the still and the absorber is shut 0E and the refrigerator is putin communication with the absorber below the level of the liquor therein, and then the absorber is shut o from the refrigerator and again putin communication with the still, as and for the pur- I poses set forth. I Wish it understood that I do not claim in 2. In an apparatus for the production of cold by the intermittent ammonia absorption process, the combination with a boiler or still,

a condenser or liquefler connected therewith, a rectilier connected with the said still and condenser, and refrigerating tubes or chambers connected with the said condenser .and adapted to contain and store the liquid anhy- 1 drous ammonia, of an intermittently operat` ing absorber and connecting-pipes provided with controlling valves or cocks, whereby, after the ammonia is distilled and collected in the refrigerator, the still is put in communication with the said absorber to charge the same with weak liquor, then communication is opened first between the absorber and condenser to reduce the pressure therein and in the rectifier and still, then between the absorber and the refrigerator, and then between the absorber and the still, substantially as and for the purposes set forth'.

' FREDERICK BARKER HILL. Witnesses:`

DAVID YOUNG, JOHN T. KNoWLEs,

IOO

Both of 11 and 12 Southampton Buildings,

London, W; C'. 

